zlacker

>>ColinW+(OP)
Here is a CRS-3 launch and ascent event list. Please note that all timings and values are approximate, as I have based them on a mix of CRS-2 profile telemetry and CRS-3 mission notes.

T-00:00:00 - Falcon 9 lift-off. Stage 1's nine Merlin engines produce 1.3M pounds of thrust.

T+00:00:07 - Falcon 9 clears the launch tower.

T+00:01:00 - Altitude: 6km, Velocity: 241m/s, Downrange distance: 1km

T+00:01:10 - Falcon 9 achieves supersonic speed.

T+00:01:23 - Falcon 9 achieves maximum dynamic pressure (Max Q).

T+00:02:00 - Altitude: 30km, Velocity: 1km/s, Downrange distance: 23km

T+00:02:30 - Altitude: 51km, Velocity: 1.8km/s, Downrange distance: 59km

T+00:02:41 - MECO (Main Engine Cut-Off) Altitude: 80km, Velocity: Mach 10

T+00:02:44 - Stage 1 separates from Stage 2.

T+00:02:45 - Stage 2's single Merlin engine ignites.

T+00:03:25 - Dragon's nose cone is jettisoned.

T+00:04:21 - Altitude: 148km, Velocity: 3.2km/s, Downrange distance: 346km

T+00:05:22 - Altitude: 182km, Velocity: 4km/s, Downrange distance: 541km

T+00:06:24 - Altitude: 200km, Velocity: 4.6km/s, Downrange distance: 767km

T+00:07:31 - Altitude: 210km, Velocity: 5.6km/s, Downrange distance: 1,080km

T+00:09:40 - SECO (Second-stage Engine Cut-Off)

T+00:10:15 - Stage 2 separates from Dragon.

>>Arjuna+Q1
Elon has just confirmed [1] that they will be attempting to recover the first stage. This is the first flight with the landing leg module attached to the first stage. The landing legs will be deployed over sea for a soft landing in preparation for a land-based recovery.

This will be a historic moment if the recovery succeeds, ushering in a new era of space travel due to the massively reduced operating costs of recoverable engines.

1. https://twitter.com/elonmusk

>>FD3SA+L2
Is Musk planning to have his drones watch the landing? I'm guessing that's what the "recovery ship" would be doing, although his twitter feed is saying that heavy seas might make that difficult.

>>joezyd+D3
Quadcopters don't have the endurance to hover in the recovery zone, unless one of the SpaceX recovery ships were to deploy them.

Ideally, you'd use something like a Predator or Reaper with long endurance and stabilized optics. At $4MM per drone (new), that's not outside the realm of possibility.

>>toomuc+Wu
You don't buy a single predator, you buy a set of them, along with all of the support gear including the ground control station, and support from the manufacturer. - former shadow 200 military drone pilot

>>SEJeff+gy
Can you rent time from a non-military agency? I know NASA has at least one Global Hawk.